Search icon

Football

20th Apr 2021

Guardiola says ‘it is not sport if losing doesn’t matter’ in statement against Super League

Danny Jones

Pep Guardiola is the next to take aim at The Super League

Following comments from Jurgen Klopp, James Milner and Patrick Bamford last night, football fans were waiting to see how the next manager tied to one of the breakaway ‘Big Six’ clubs would respond in their first press conference following the news.

In Pep Guardiola’s press conference ahead of Manchester City’s match against Aston Villa tomorrow, the Spanish coach was inevitably asked about the elephant in the room and he didn’t disappoint:

As you can see, like any other true footballing person, Pep had the common sense to point out that the Super League fundamentally roots out competition: the whole purpose of football and sport, in general.

He doesn’t touch upon the fans, specifically, because he doesn’t need to. It’s clear that all of the managers implicated in this decision by their employers were not privy to discussions and although they are having to walk a fine line to keep their jobs intact, they aren’t giving the tournament their seal of approval.

On the flipside, Guardiola didn’t have too many good things to say about UEFA either – a relationship clearly soured since the FFP scandal and by no means the good guy along the long road that has led to this moment:

Nevertheless, he went on to describe the Super League plans as nothing more than “an embryo that is still not yet breathing’ and reiterated that all he and his players can do right now is focus on the next game.

However, he did get across a good bit of subliminal messaging by stating: “We are going to play the UCL next week and try to reach the final next season, we are going to play in Europe because we deserve it.”

Well in, Pep.